This article is from page 14 of the 2009-03-03 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 14 JPG
SCOIL Mhuire Secondary School in Ennistymon was valued at just under €1 million when it was transferred to the state as part of the church sex abuse scandal in 2002, it was re- vealed last week.
While the transfer of a number of properties is yet to take place, it has now been revealed that the Sisters of Mercy struck a deal with the Depart- ment of Education to value the north Clare property at £980,000.
The school was one of a number of properties transferred to state control as part of a controversial deal with the 18 Irish religious orders involved in child sex-abuse scandals.
This agreement, which was one of the last pieces of legislation signed by former Minister of Education Michael Woods (FF), limited the li- ability of the religious orders to vic- tims of abuse to just €128 million.
However, it is now estimated that the total compensation to the victims of child abuse could run as high as €1.1 billion, leaving the tax payers to foot the bill for almost 90 per cent of the compensation.
The church organisations has com- mitted to handing over €66 million worth of properties, €52 million in cash and €10 million in counselling services under the €128 million in- demnity deal. To date however only 21 properties out of a total of 64 have been given transferred to the state.